"So you're the treasure." Thomas gasped as they all gathered back on the ship to sleep. Lia nodded.
" I would have never guessed it until my grandmother told me. I couldn't believe it at first but now that I think about it, it makes sense. How I felt like this was my home, me looking so different from everyone else back on the main land."
" Did she know?" Christopher asked.
" No. She piece together the last part of the riddle I gave her."
" So, what are you going to do? You don't have to stay with us anymore. We will be heading out tomorrow." Russell pointed out. Lia's eyes fell to her feet.
" I've been thinking about that too." There was a long pause. " I talked to everyone before I to the ship about what they thought. And well, it was shocking, what they said."
" If you have to stay we understand. After all you're their princess."
Lia gave a shake of her head. " No. I'm just Lia. They told me that they knew my parents well and that they had one of the others take me to the main land because they thought it would make me happy. That was all they wanted, to make me happy."
" So where are you happy at?" Eduardo asked.
" I'm happy here, on the Sirius. So if you'd take me as one of your permanent crew members then I'd be honored."
" But what about your island?" Thomas gasped.
" I'll come back and stay for a month after a few months have already passed. But they said ' we've gone this long without royalty we can handle it now'. "
" We would sail you back home any time you wanted Lia." Christopher smiled as he put his hands on her shoulders and gave a small kiss on the forehead. She smirked and fixed her hair after Eduardo had messed it up. Then she looked at Nathan, looking for some sort of response.
" If you get in the way I'll feed you the sharks."
Lia cracked a smile and then hugged him. Nathan felt all eyes on him and placed his hand on her head, pushing him away.
" Get off of me, people are watching."
Lia took notice of the blush on his cheeks.
" Aw come on Nathan, don't you want a hug from the princess?" She asked as she walked up to him again with her arms out.
" No!"
" But it's an honor!"
" Get away from me!"
The crew laughed as Lia continued to tease him. But she knew that deep down inside he'd be sad if her teasing was gone.
Lia stood enjoying the wind against her face. In front of her the sea went on for ages with no sign of any other society around them. Her island was gone but yet she still felt at home.
" Are you going to stare all day or are you going to help me?"
She turned and ushered to help Nathan carry food into the kitchen for that night's feast. They were apparently celebrating Lia joining the crew permanently but she had learnt that Morgan would always find some sort of reason to have a party.
Nathan held the door open with his foot and allowed Lia to walk through. Out of the corner of his eye he caught Eduardo and Russell talking, looking up at him then shaking hands. He wasn't sure what they had planned but he knew it was going to be trouble.
" Where do you want these Nathan?"
Lia's voice pulled his attention back to his work.
" Just on the counter."
He let the door close behind him and lowered the food he had in his arms.
" Slice these."
Lia took the lemons from his hands. Nathan felt himself freeze as she walked past him to grab a knife, her skirts of the dress they had bought her brushing his legs. But he quickly ignored it when she began to do her cutting.
" What now? I finished."
" Here, dice this up." He handed her potatoes. She settled her blade on the edge and began to try to peel them. Nathan took a glance at her, not realizing what she was doing. Then he looked at her twice.
" What are you doing, you'll cut your-"
" Too late." She laughed nervously as she held up her finger. He gave a sigh and a shake of his head.
" I can't take my eyes off of you for a second." He took her finger and raised it to his lips. Lia's cheeks flared. His lips were soft and warm. Just like how they were when she gave him CPR.
" You have to hold it like this."
He let her hand fall and came behind her. His arms wrapped around her, his hands over lapped hers and he ran through the movements. She began to feel his heat close in on her. It was no different than when he had done it while he was giving her first lesson of teaching her how to fight.
Then the door bursted open. They both tried to jump away from one another but they had been too slow. Thomas stood, rubbing the back of his head shyly.
" I-I apologize. I didn't mean to intrude." He stammered.
" You weren't intruding." Nathan corrected. Lia nodded quickly in agreement. Yet it seemed like Thomas wasn't buying it.
" I just wanted to see if you needed me to bring you anything else."
" No, I have everything I need."
Thomas nodded and hurried out. Once the door he let out a sigh. There Russell and Eduardo stood waiting in anticipation.
" It seems you two were right."
" Did they kiss?" Russell asked.
" No. I think I may have interrupted them."
" Ah come on Thomas! You're making me loose my money!"
Eduardo gave a grin. " I told you, wait till tonight. I bet he'll snap."